The success of the movie AMERICAN SNIPER continues to amaze, as it finally overtook the first part of the HUNGER GAMES finale, MOCKINGJAY – PART 1, to take the 2014 box office crown recently with more than $341.8 million and counting.

AMERICAN SNIPER’s tremendous success confirms MOVIEGUIDE®’s contention that American moviegoers want to see movies that celebrate the patriotic values of the average American soldier and America’s national heritage and values, including its Christian, biblical roots.

That’s exactly what AMERICAN SNIPER does as its story portrays one committed American solider, Chris Kyle, from a Christian family who goes from protecting and helping his fellow soldiers and the Iraqi people in the Middle East to protecting and helping his fellow soldiers and their families on the homefront in what was and should be the greatest country on God’s green earth. The movie’s final scene shows lines of American people with American flags honoring this fallen hero during his funeral procession after he was tragically gunned down by a troubled soldier he tried to help.

AMERICAN SNIPER isn’t the only Pro-American, patriotic movie from 2014 that achieved success, however.

In fact, if you look at the top five 2014 movies at the box office, you will find several movies with strong Pro-American, patriotic values.

For example, the No. 2 movie, the aforementioned HUNGER GAMES movie, with more than $337.1 million, celebrates a heroine who encourages her fellow citizens to rise up and fight for their liberty against a tyrannical government.

What can be more American than that?

The title hero in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, the No. 4 movie with more than $259.7 million, also extols American values. Thus, in one scene, Captain America even reminds his fellow Americans that the price of freedom can be very high.

Even the No. 3 movie at the box office, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, with more than $333.1 million, celebrates America. It shows an American snatched from his home in the United States and taken to another galaxy, where he becomes an heroic figure leading a ragtag group of misfits against an evil madman trying to destroy a successful capitalist civilization.

Now, that’s an American hero if there ever was one!

Put together, these four movies earned more than $1.27 billion at the domestic box office, or more than 83 percent of the approximately $1.53 billion of the top five movies.

An additional aspect of all these Pro-American, patriotic movies is the fact that all of them seem to contain redemptive values reflecting America’s Christian, biblical heritage.

Thus, in AMERICAN SNIPER, Chris Kyle and his family explicitly go to a Christian church and believe the Gospel while the other three movies display elements of Christian sacrifice, baptism and resurrection.

These updated box office results support what MOVIEGUIDE® reported early last month in its 2015 Annual report to the Entertainment Industry, that movies with strong Christian, Pro-American, patriotic, redemptive, pro-capitalist, anti-totalitarian, biblical, and moral content and values earned significantly more money than movies with Anti-Christian, Non-Christian, Anti-American, anti-patriotic, anti-capitalist, socialist, anti-biblical, and immoral content and values.

For example, using just the earnings that 2014 movies made in 2014, the 27 movies with strong Pro-American, patriotic content or values averaged $76.62 million per movie in 2014, but the 11 movies with strong Anti-American, anti-patriotic content or values averaged only $11.85 million.

Of course, by the end of 2014, AMERICAN SNIPER had appeared in only four theaters, earning just $2.19 million. This means movies with strong Pro-American, patriotic released in 2014 have probably averaged more than $90 million by now, if you combine 2014 box office numbers with 2015.

Clearly, the last year in Hollywood movies has been an American one, with moviegoers preferring movies that celebrate American, patriotic values.

Hopefully, the studio executives and filmmakers in Hollywood, not to mention America’s political and journalistic leaders, will follow and support this important trend sweeping our nation.

Faith & Values Awards Show Names Movie/TV

Nominees for $50,000 Friess Free Enterprise Prize

Hollywood, Calif. – For the second year in a row, the Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry will celebrate America’s free enterprise system with the $50,000 Friess Free Enterprise Prize for the best movie or television program promoting free enterprise.

The winner of the prize will be announced Friday, Feb. 7, at the 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

The $50,000 Friess Free Enterprise Prize is supported by a grant from the Lynn & Foster Friess Family Foundation.

“We have some excellent nominees this year,” Dr. Ted Baehr, co-founder of the Faith & Values Awards, said. “There were so many, it was hard to decide who to include.”

The nominees for the $50,000 prize, and their distributor or network, include (in alphabetical order): THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG (MGM/Warner Bros.), MONSTERS UNIVERSITY (Pixar/Disney), TURBO (DreamWorks/20th Century Fox), CHRISTMAS IN CONWAY (Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions), the “Shoveling Snow” episode of LAST MAN STANDING (ABC-TV), REMEMBER SUNDAY (Hallmark Hall of Fame Productions), the “George & Kym Rapier” episode of SECRET MILLIONAIRE (ABC-TV), and Episode 4.20 of SHARK TANK (ABC-TV).

The $50,000 Friess Free Enterprise Prize is awarded to the one movie or television program that, through “fine craftsmanship and inspiring storytelling, encourages an appreciation of free markets, ownership, and stewasrdship.”

The Friess Family Foundation’s motivation for sponsoring the award is the belief that the free enterprise system is one of God’s greatest gifts to man. It has brought more people out of poverty than any other system, and provides incredible personal liberty in the process.

The Foundation also supports financial assistance after natural disasters, providing clean safe water, and a mobile medical van ministry for the under-served.

Author of “The Culture-Wise Family” and “How To Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul),” Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) and its family guide to movies and entertainment, Movieguide® (www.movieguide.org). CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international, non-profit ministry dedicated to “redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media.”

At the Faith & Values Awards, Dr. Baehr will present highlights from Movieguide®’s 2013 Report to the Entertainment Industry, a comprehensive financial analysis of the movie business showing what kinds of movies and what kinds of movie content, including religious and political content, moviegoers favor the most with their hard-earned money.

For more information about Movieguide® or CFTVC, visit www.movieguide.org or call 1-888-248-6689.

Movieguide® Grace Award Nominations for Inspiring Performances!

Hollywood, Calif. – Veteran actors and some startling newcomers are among the baker’s dozen of nominees for the Annual Grace Awards for Most Inspiring Performances in Movies & TV this year.

The two winners will be announced at the 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry, to be held Friday, Feb. 7, in the Grand Ballroom of the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

A couple “Reality TV” stars are among the nominees for the Grace Awards, which are designed to honor “the best, most inspiring performances expressing God’s grace and love toward us as human beings.”

The Faith & Values Awards are sponsored by the Christian Film & Television Commission®, which supports positive Christian content in TV and movies.

Dr. Ted Baehr, co-founder of the Faith & Values Awards, said, “Many acting awards are given to performances that provide extremely poor role models. The Grace Awards are different because they honor performances that uplift the human spirit and inspire people to strengthen their relationship with God and Jesus Christ.”

The list of 13 nominees, in alphabetical order according to the title of the individual movie or TV program, includes:

GRACE AWARD FOR MOVIES

42 – Harrison Ford

Black Nativity – Forest Whittaker

Grace Unplugged – AJ Michalka

Grace Unplugged – James Denton

Gravity – Sandra Bullock

Man of Steel – Henry Cavill

Man of Steel – Russell Crowe

GRACE AWARD FOR TELEVISION

The Bible – Roma Downey

The Bible – Diogo Morgado

Last Man Standing: Back to School – Tim Allen

Last Man Standing: Back to School – Willie Robertson

The Cross – Billy Graham

Blue Bloods: Bad Blood – Len Cariou

The 22nd Annual Movieguide® Awards is set to air March 1st at 2PM Eastern on Reelz.

Faith and Family Awards Reach Epiphany

Nominations Announced for $200,000 Prizes for Most Inspiring Movie and TV

Program of 2013 at 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala, Set for Feb. 7

Hollywood, Calif. – Epiphany is coming!

Dr. Ted Baehr, media critic and founder of Movieguide®: The Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment and the Christian Film & Television Commission®, announced the nominees for the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for the Most Inspiring Movie of 2013 and the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for the Most Inspiring TV Program of 2013.

The announcement of the winners of the Epiphany Prizes will be the highlight of the 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry, to be held Friday, Feb. 7, at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Universal City, in the heart of Hollywood.

The Epiphany Prizes are supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation (www.templeton.org). They are given every year to the best, most inspiring movie and television program that resulted in a “great increase in man’s love or understanding of God.”

Traditionally, an epiphany is a special manifestation or revelation from God.

“This year, we had more top contenders for the Epiphany Prizes than ever before,” Dr. Baehr said. “It was very hard to narrow down the nominees into just five. 2013 has been a tremendous year for Godly, inspirational content, one of the best ever.”

The nominees for the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring Movie are (in alphabetical order with major distributor):

42 – Warner Bros.

Black Nativity – Fox Searchlight

Grace Unplugged – Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate Films

Man of Steel – Warner Bros.

The Tower – CJ Entertainment

The nominees for the $100,000 Epiphany Prize for Most Inspiring TV Program are (in alphabetical order with major distributor or network):

The Bible – The History Channel/A&E Networks

The “Bad Blood” Episode of Blue Bloods – CBS-TV

The Cross – Fox News Channel

The “Til Duck Do Us Part” Episode of Duck Dynasty – The A&E Channel/A&E Networks

The “Back to School” Episode of Last Man Standing – ABC-TV

The prize money in each category will be equally divided among the major filmmakers and television artists behind the winners, including the director, the writer, and the top producers.

Known as the “Crystal Teddy Bear Awards,” the Faith & Values Awards Gala also features awards for family movies, movies for mature viewers, inspiring performances, and movies and television programs promoting traditional social values such as liberty, religious freedom, patriotism, representative government, and free market principles.

The John Templeton Foundation (www.templeton.org) funds independent research and public engagement to pursue big questions and discoveries on life’s purpose, human potential, and ultimate reality. The Foundation’s motto, “How little we know, how eager to learn,” exemplifies its support for open-minded inquiry, commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship, and encouraging civil, informed dialogue among scientists, scholars, theologians, and the public at large.

Author of “The Culture-Wise Family” and “How To Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul),” Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) and its family guide to movies and entertainment, Movieguide® (www.movieguide.org). CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international, non-profit ministry dedicated to “redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media.”

At the Awards, Dr. Baehr will present highlights from Movieguide®’s 2013 Report to the Entertainment Industry, a comprehensive financial analysis of the movie business showing what kinds of movies and what kinds of movie content moviegoers favor the most with their hard-earned money.

For more information about Movieguide® or CFTVC, visit www.movieguide.org or call 1-888-248-6689.

Family Friendly

A Wide Variety of Animated and Live Action Movies Compete for Best Family Movie at 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards

Hollywood, Calif. – Family and child advocate Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide®: The Family Guide to Movies and the Christian Film & Television Commission®, announced a wide variety of animated and live action movies competing for “Best Family Movie” of 2013 at the 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry on Feb. 7.

The “Teddy Bear” Awards, as they are affectionately called, will be held Friday, Feb. 7 at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles near the heart of Hollywood.

Heading the list of nominees for the Best Family Movie of 2013 are such major blockbuster hits as “Frozen” from Walt Disney Pictures, “Despicable Me 2” from Universal Pictures, “Monsters University” and “Oz, the Great and Powerful” also from Disney, and “The Croods” from DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures, plus movies like “Black Nativity” from Fox Searchlight Pictures; “Grace Unplugged” from Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate Films; “Turbo” from DreamWorks and Paramount; “Linsanity,” a small documentary about New York Knicks basketball star Jeremy Lin from Ketchup Entertainment; and, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2” from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The domestic box office totals for these “Ten Best 2013 Movies for Families” range from $367.7 million for “Despicable Me 2” to $2,480,260 for “Grace Unplugged,” for an average of at least $108.2 million per movie.

“Family movies usually do best at the box office,” Dr. Baehr said, noting that six of the movies made it into the Top 25 movies at the box office in both the United States and overseas.

At the Faith & Values Awards, Dr. Baehr will present highlights of Movieguide®’s 2014 Report to the Entertainment Industry, which shows Hollywood what kind of movies were most successful at the domestic and international box office as well as on home video in 2013.

Nominations for other awards will be announced soon, including the $100,000 Epiphany Prizes for Inspiring Movies & TV, the $50,000 Kairos Prizes for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays by First-Time and Beginning Screenwriters, the $50,000 Chronos Prize for Most Inspiring Screenplay by Established Filmmakers, the $50,000 Friess Free Enterprise Prize, the Best 2013 Movie for Mature Audiences, the Grace Awards for Inspiring Performances in Movies & TV, and the Faith & Freedom Awards for Promoting Western or American Values.

The “Teddy Bear” Awards are supported by grants from the John Templeton Foundation and the Friess Family Foundation.

Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) ministry and director of its family guide to movies and entertainment, Movieguide® (www.movieguide.org). CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international non-profit ministry, advocacy group, and watchdog dedicated to “redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media.”

The John Templeton Foundation (www.templeton.org) serves as a philanthropic catalyst for discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality. The Foundation supports research on subjects ranging from complexity, evolution, and infinity to creativity, forgiveness, love, and free will. It encourages civil, informed dialogue among scientists, philosophers, and theologians and between such experts and the public at large, for the purposes of definitional clarity and new insights. The Foundation’s vision is derived from the late Sir John Templeton’s optimism about the possibility of acquiring “new spiritual information” and from his commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship. The Foundation’s motto, “How little we know, how eager to learn,” exemplifies its support for open-minded inquiry and its hope for advancing human progress through breakthrough discoveries.

As an act of love to God and man, the Friess Family Foundation supports causes ranging from providing immediate and ongoing help after natural disasters, and clean, safe water, to bringing Christian medical care to the underserved.

What Movies Do Moviegoers Prefer?

Long-Term Studies Show Movies with Strong Christian,

Redemptive Content Make the Most Money by Far

Hollywood, Calif. – Two new long-term studies by Movieguide®: The Family Guide to Movies & Entertainment show that moviegoers prefer to see movies with strong Christian, redemptive worldviews and content.

Family and child advocate Dr. Ted Baehr, founder and publisher of Movieguide®, announced the findings today as part of the run-up to Movieguide®’s 2014 Report to the Entertainment Industry, an annual comprehensive financial analysis of the domestic, overseas, and home video film market.

Dr. Baehr will reveal highlights from the 2014 report at the 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards, to be held Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

“Media pundits don’t realize that the public prefers to see movies with positive Christian content and values,” Dr. Baehr said.

According to a 10-year study of all the major movies released by Hollywood and the major independent studios, Baehr said, movies with very strong Christian worldviews averaged $73.27 million at the box office, but movies with very strong Non-Christian worldviews averaged only $21.01 million.

The differences were even wider in a five-year study conducted by Movieguide®.

According to the five-year study, movies with very strong Christian worldviews averaged $82.97 million per movie, but movies with very strong Non-Christian worldviews averaged only $21.84 million.

Very Strong Worldviews Compared, 2008-2012*

Very Strong Worldviews

Count

B.O. Sum

Avg. B.O.

Movies with very strong Christian worldview

61

$5,061,211,157

$82,970,675

Movies with very strong Non-Christian worldviews

391

$8,322,196,493

$21,284,390

Very Strong Worldviews Compared, 2003-2012*

Very Strong Worldviews

Count

B.O. Sum

Avg. B.O.

Movies with very strong Christian worldview

118

$8,646,088,053

$73,271,933

Movies with very strong Non-Christian worldviews

677

$14,223,902,306

$21,010,195

* MOVIEGUIDE® only used the amount of money that the various worldviews earned in the calendar year they were released. Some Christian, moral movies released toward the end of the year (e.g., THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, I AM LEGEND, VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER, EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, LES MISÉRABLES, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY) make a lot of money in the following year. The same thing happens with some movies that have very strong Non-Christian, Anti-Christian, immoral, illogical, or false worldviews (e.g., BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, AVATAR, BLACK SWAN, DJANGO UNCHAINED).

“The overseas box office tells a similar story,” Baehr said.

For example, 80 percent of the Top 10 Movies Overseas between 2009 and 2013 had strong or very strong Christian, redemptive content, including positive references to Christianity, Jesus, God, or faith – THE AVENGERS, IRON MAN 3, SKYFALL, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, and THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.

“It pays to put Christian, faith-friendly content in your blockbuster movies and television programs,” Dr. Baehr added, citing the recent high ratings for TV programs like THE BIBLE and DUCK DYNASTY.

Author of THE CULTURE-WISE FAMILY and the filmmaking book HOW TO SUCCEED IN HOLLYWOOD (WITHOUT LOSING YOUR SOUL), Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) ministry and director of its family guide to movies and entertainment, Movieguide® (www.movieguide.org). CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international non-profit ministry, advocacy group, and watchdog dedicated to “redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media.”

The Annual Report to the Entertainment Industry also contains information on whether moviegoers prefer movies with no foul language and no lewd content, or explicit sex and nudity.

$50,000 Prize – for Best Script Honoring God

Date: Nov. 21, 2013

Hollywood, Calif. – Hollywood’s elite filmmakers have until Dec. 5 at midnight to submit their scripts to the First Annual $50,000 Chronos Prize for the Most Inspiring Screenplay by Established Filmmakers that promotes a greater understanding or love of God.

The winner of the $50,000 prize will be honored at the 22nd Annual Movieguide® Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry on Feb. 7, 2014, to be held at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

“Hollywood is putting more faith and values in its blockbuster movies than ever before,” noted Dr. Ted Baehr, chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission®, sponsor of the Movieguide® Awards and the Chronos Prize. “Already this year, four of the Top 10 movies at the box office have contained positive references to Jesus.”

Filmmakers eligible to compete for the Chronos Prize are past nominees and winners of the Faith & Values Awards or filmmakers who have successfully created and distributed at least one profitable, spiritually uplifting movie or television program with strong redemptive content demonstrating man’s love or understanding of God. Other criteria for the prizes may be found on the Chronos Prize website at www.chronosprize.com.

The entry fee for the competition is $75 until the extended final deadline of Dec. 5, 2013. The competition is supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.

The 22nd Annual Movieguide® Faith & Values Awards and Report to the Entertainment Industry is sponsored by the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) ministry, an international non-profit ministry, advocacy group, and watchdog dedicated to “redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media.”

KAIROS HOLDS OPEN THE DOORS TO HOLLYWOOD

Ninth Annual $50,000 Kairos Prizes Extends Deadline for

Hollywood, Calif. – Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide®: The Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment, announced today that the $50,000 Kairos Prizes for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays by First-Time and Beginning Screenwriters has extended its last and final deadline to November 18.

Supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation and presented annually by MOVIEGUIDE®, the Kairos Prizes award $50,000 to the top three entries as it celebrates the best new screenwriters from around the world whose work aims to greatly increase man’s love or understanding of God.

The winners will be announced at the 22nd Annual Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry on Feb. 7, 2014 at the Universal Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to see the tremendous talent that has come through the doors in the last eight years of the Kairos Prize,” Dr. Baehr said. “As we look forward to see what season nine brings us, we are truly appreciative of the overwhelming support that the Hollywood community has shown toward this competition and its winners.”

Since 2006, the Kairos Prizes have championed the brightest new voices emerging from the world of screenwriting. Success for its winners began with its inaugural winner David M. Anthony whose winning script was immediately picked up, produced, and released under the title JOHNNY. Two other winners, Christina Denton and Rusty Whitener, are both seeing their respective winning scripts finding their release in the coming months. Additionally, there are several other winning scripts that are either in pre-production or close to development deals.

In addition to the Kairos Prizes, the highlight of the Faith & Values Awards each year is the presentation of the two $100,000 Epiphany Prizes for Inspiring Movies & TV. Also supported by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, the Epiphany Prizes honor the best, most inspiring movie and television program of the previous year.

The late entry fee will remain unchanged at $80 until the extended final deadline of Nov. 18, 2013.

Empowering Epics:

Honoring God, Family, and Country at the 22nd Annual

Movieguide® Faith & Values Awards Gala, Feb. 7, 2014

Hollywood, Calif. – “Empowering Epics” is the theme for next year’s 22nd Annual Movieguide® Faith & Values Awards Gala and Report to the Entertainment Industry, announced Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide®: The Family Guide to Movies and Entertainment.

The event will be held Friday, Feb. 7, 2014 at the Universal Hilton Hotel near the heart of Hollywood.

“The excitement is building for next year’s awards show, which will be televised nationwide,” Dr. Baehr said. “There are more movies and television programs honoring faith and values than ever.”

The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the two $100,000 Epiphany Prizes for Inspiring Movies & TV, which honors the best movie and best television program in 2013 that “greatly increases man’s love or understanding of God.”

Another highlight will be the presentation of the $50,000 Kairos Prizes for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays by First-Time or Beginning Screenwriters, which honor the three best scripts from beginning screenwriters that “greatly increase man’s love or understanding of God.”

This year, with additional support from the Templeton Foundation, Movieguide® has added another screenwriting competition, the $50,000 Chronos Prizes for Inspiring Screenplays by Established Filmmakers. Visit www.chroniozprize.com for criteria and submission forms.

For the second year in a row, the 22nd Faith & Values Awards will hand out the $50,000 Friess Foundation Free Enterprise Prize for promoting free market principles in movies and television.

Another big award that evening will be the Grace Awards for Inspiring Performances in Movies & TV given the best performances by an actor or actress that best exemplifies “God’s grace toward us as human beings.”

Also, Crystal Teddy Bears will be given to the best family movies and the best movies for mature audiences of the year, where one winner also will be declared to take the top position in each field. Finally, special awards will be given to the winners of the two Faith & Freedom Awards for Promoting Positive American Values in Movies & TV.

Last February’s Faith & Values winners included such movies and TV programs as ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT, LES MISÉRABLES, THE AMERICAN BIBLE CHALLENGE, MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS, MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED, A SMILE AS BIG AS THE MOON, FOR GREATER GLORY, THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN, HERE COMES THE BOOM, WRECK-IT RALPH, SKYFALL, and RAISING IZZIE.

At the Gala, Dr. Baehr will present highlights from Movieguide®’s Annual Report to the Entertainment Industry, which each year examines how well family movies and movies with Christian, moral, and spiritually uplifting content did at the box office and on home video compared to other kinds of movies.

Author of THE CULTURE-WISE FAMILY and many other books, Dr. Baehr is chairman of the Christian Film & Television Commission® (CFTVC) ministry and its family guide to movies, Movieguide® (www.movieguide.org). CFTVC and Movieguide® are an international non-profit ministry dedicated to “redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and by informing and equipping the public about the influence of the entertainment media.”

The John Templeton Foundation (www.templeton.org) funds independent research and public engagement to pursue big questions and discoveries on life’s purpose, human potential, and ultimate reality. The Foundation’s motto, “How little we know, how eager to learn,” exemplifies our support for open-minded inquiry, commitment to rigorous scientific research and related scholarship, and encouraging civil, informed dialogue among scientists, scholars, theologians, and the public at large.

Dr. Ted Baehr of Movieguide® Partners with Gov. Dalrymple on Film Initiative.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 02, 2013

Movieguide CEO and founder Dr. Ted Baehr will be speaking this week at the North Dakota Film Fund Initiative, founded by author Rich Melheim. Baehr will be delivering the Keynote speech at a banquet hosted by North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple on July 3 in Mandan, ND.

The North Dakota Film Fund Initiative is a think-tank purposed with creating a “vibrant film industry in North Dakota,” according to the event’s website. The banquet kicks off a weekend filled with discussion between top leaders and media creators from both government and entertainment.

As CEO of Movieguide® and publisher of the MOVIEGUIDE(r) Report to the Entertainment Industry, Dr. Ted Baehr will be called upon to share his research on the social and economical impact of family films.

Other speakers and participants at the event include media leaders and scholars from across America and as far as South Korea, including a team from Princebury Productions, Young Four-Eyes author Dr. Rich Melheim, and Congressman Kevin Cramer (ND).

A press conference will be held Thursday, July 4, at the Bismarck Radisson at 11am.